


C20H24N2O2

by nerdypipsqueak



Series: Requests, drabbles, short stories [1]
Category: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Seven Pillars of Wisdom - T. E. Lawrence
Genre: Feisal trying to take care of him, Lawrence being ill, M/M, Malaria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 08:18:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19169383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdypipsqueak/pseuds/nerdypipsqueak
Summary: Lawrence is ill and unwilling to accept help.





	C20H24N2O2

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this lovely person: https://lapestelareste.tumblr.com/ who requested a short story about Lawrence being ill and the Bedouin looking after him.  
> The title is the chemical formula for quinine.

Lawrence is ill. Again. Only this time it's bad. The sweating and shivering come and go but the fever has persisted for days now, showing no signs of subsiding. Lawrence has been refusing food (nothing will stay down) and accepting water only if Feisal pours it down his throat. He sleeps a lot but it's not a peaceful sleep.  
"Maybe I should send for a doctor?" Feisal suggests during one of those increasingly rare moments when Lawrence is awake.  
"No... no doctor." The Englishman murmures hoarsely "It's just... Just malaria... Nothing I can't handle."  
"But it's been days. It breaks my heart to see you suffer. Please, let me get you a doctor. Please, habibi." Feisal insists.  
"No... no need... I'll be better... Soon."  
"I'd rather you let the doctor examine you." Feisal strokes Lawrence's sweat-slicked hair. He is extremely worried. "People die of malaria, you know."  
"I... I know... I can fight it..."  
"You can't fight death. I'm sending for a doctor."  
The British doctor doesn't examine Lawrence ("I don't need to touch him to know that it's malaria"), he just leaves a bottle of quinine and strict instructions on how to administer it ("if it doesn't stay down keep giving it him until it does stay down").  
It takes Feisal three attempts to wake Lawrence. The man feels like a rag doll in his arms. Feisal has to hold his mouth open and force the quinine down his throat. It's terrible, absolutely terrible and Feisal hates himself for having to manhandle Lawrence like that but if it gets the job done then so be it.  
"Lord... I was free... of all thy..." Lawrence murmures, slurring the words a little.  
"Hush." Feisal pulls him into his arms. That tiny body feels so fragile and burning hot... Suddenly it seizes up, trembling and Feisal is quite sure this is the end. But it's not. Within seconds the trembling has subsided and Lawrence's breathing evens out. He sleeps soundly till dawn. 

Three days later

"How long was I ill again?"  
"Almost ten days, habibi."  
"And I really told you not to get a doctor?"  
"I'm afraid you did."  
"I'm an idiot." Lawrence groans.  
"You're not an idiot, you're simply convinced that you're unbreakable."  
"Oh dear Lord. How did you even cope with me?"  
I was terrified, Feisal thinks, frightened, on the brink of losing my mind, extremely anxious, worried.  
He says "It was nothing I hadn't dealt with before."

**Author's Note:**

> The line Lawrence mutters before he falls asleep is a quote from "Impenitent Ultima" by Ernest Dowson. The full quote is: "For, Lord, I was free of all Thy flowers, but I chose the world's sad roses,  
> And that is why my feet are torn and mine eyes are blind with sweat,  
> But at Thy terrible judgment-seat, when this my tired life closes,  
> I am ready to reap whereof I sowed, and pay my righteous debt."  
> The poem is also quoted in Seven Pillars of Wisdom.


End file.
